Starring Grizzy and Sophie

I do have a fun Thrifty Thursday post for your, but first, how about a 2016 wrap-up?

I’ve been thinking of 2016 as “The Year of the Bully.” Professionally I had to deal with at least one person who was easily one of the nastiest people I’ve ever met. I still get updates about his reign of terror from people who have to work with him, poor things.

Personally, I took a step back from a group I had been very involved with because there was a person whom leadership acknowledged was a bully, yet they did nothing. But by saying “No” to that, I can say “Yes” to some really great, positive things. That’s a win.

I must admit 2016 had some good things happen. I met a really great guy, yay. I have a job I really enjoy. I learned about some interesting new volunteer opportunities that I hope to try this year. So, I’m definitely starting 2017 on a positive note. I hope it is wonderful for all of you, too.

Now, for Thrifty Thursday! It’s definitely winter and the heat is on, which dries everything out. That’s why humidifiers are so wonderful. Of course, this one from the late ’80s, early ’90s cracks me up.

The bad haircut, the campy poses, the dog under the table…I tell ya, the photo shoot for this was stellar. They created images for the ages! Without further ado:

It’s that time – time to bust out the humidifier!

Eliminate those parched throats and wacky faces!

Sadly, it cannot eliminate a bad cut from the early ’90s.

Is that dog dead?!

That last picture – the dog under the table to demonstrate a comfortable home…I have to shake my head a little.

Did you know you can find patterns at thrift stores? I knew there were usually craft stashes–fabric, yarn, ribbons–but I’m a little embarrassed to admit until fairly recently I didn’t realize you could often find a wealth of patterns! Some really fun ones, too.

Check out this beaut:

All set for the guys-only slumber party!

There’s a lot I really like about this, but I have to start out with the giggly stuff:

I imagine they are…oh, heck, I was going to say a slumber party but that’s just…where they heck are they? Are they going to tuck into twin beds with scratchy Army blankets? LOL

The guy in the middle, in the light blue. Is that a pseudo-pimp cane he’s kind of leaning on? Is it the top of a (very low) bannister? Is it the Leaning Tower of Pisa?

The guy to the right of him, in the navy blue print holding the alarm clock. “We’re all set to wake up bright and early!”

Then whoa, hold up! Here comes Jaunty Joe in a bright red nightshirt. “Hold up, boys, I just had to slip into my PJs and get my pipe. Now I’m ready for bed.”On a serious note, I love the retro-ness of this. It reminds me of movies like “White Christmas,” where everyone, even the men, wore impeccably tailored clothing. I’m not sure it’s 100% functional for most people’s lives, but it sure looks cool.

I am finding myself more and more taken by the retro aesthetic. The details were so interesting. Even the “cheesy” things are cool to check out now. It makes me think of my parents and grandparents smiling as they recounted “the good” music and traditions that were big when they were younger. Am I turning into them? If I am, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. 🙂

Things have been admittedly slow here on ye ole blog, but there are some things happening behind the scenes. I will post more a little later this month, when I know more about a potential move to a new url (therosiebee.com).

In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to bust out Thrifty Thursday: Christmas Edition!

For this week’s installment, I present Beans & StuffTM. I now wish I bought this because it’s so retro and funky and fun. It’s basically a crock on a hotplate.

Beans & Stuff

Check out all you can make in it: baked beans, stews, soups, dried fruit…dried fruit?! I side-eyed that because really? A quick google search showed me that there is at least one way to dry fruit in a slow cooker, I mean, Beans & StuffTM crock.

Other things to note:

Check out the reflection in that crock. Is that a tripod hanging out in someone’s “kitchen”?

Those nails. I love me some painted nails but those are straight outta Dynasty.

Thrifty Thursday is back! I found these fun little playing cards in one of my favorite little thrift shops. I thought they were appropriate for a summer Thrifty Thursday. They totally remind me of something you’d grab in a souvenir shop (which I’m sure is where they originated!).

A bargain at only $.50!

Glacier Park…but which one?

So fun!

Now I wish I would have bought them, if only for the nostalgia. They are just so cozy; they remind me of camping in those old burlap-type tents and rustic cabins. And Jellystone Park!. Ahh, such good memories. 🙂

This past weekend I needed to get out of dodge for a bit, so a friend and I went drove down to the state border where there are outlet malls, antique stores, and a whole lotta nothing. We spent a good chunk of time in one of the antique stores. Imagine my joy when, near the end of our puttering around, I saw this maneki-neko!

I’m a bank, too!

I’ve long looked for a maneki-neko and never found one *on my own* that I’ve liked. A dear friend found an awesome pair that I love; I keep one in my living room and one at work. Yet I’ve never found one–on my own–that really beckoned to me (pun intended) until this past weekend. The price was right, so I brought him home and now he watches over me and the furkids while we sleep.

Can you have a favorite corner of the living room? Well, I do, and here it is. I love that I can sit on the edge of my couch, lean over and scan my books, pick one and settle in for a night of reading. The tree lights up, giving a nice glow (although sometimes making iPhone images look wonky). I like the old fashioned Santa triptych; it makes me ridiculously happy.

Those two items, along with the runner, the bookshelf, and a good assortment of books were all thrifted! Yet another thing that makes me ridiculously cozy. 🙂

Christmas Eve is only one week away! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope you enjoy this next week.

For this week’s Thrifty Thursday I continue with the Christmas theme. Check out these beauties:

Aw, yeah, it’s Jazzercise!

Branded, even!

New with tags! I mean, get out of town! You can jingle all the way to the holidays with this festive footwear. No need for an ugly Christmas sweater with these old vintage threads.

Truth be told, I think these are loads of kitschy fun, but I don’t know where I’d wear them. I’m sure they’ll have their day – just not in a gym. Being made of only nylon and acrylic, no spandex for stretch or wicking material, I can’t imagine they’d be very comfortable on sweaty, Jazzercising-feet.

A quick search online turned up no holiday Jazzercise socks, so I can’t be sure when they were made, where they were sold or given away, or what other gems made up the holiday Jazzercise wardrobe. Alas. Still, I’m glad to have snagged these bad boys. They might be fun for a silly holiday exchange. 🙂

I’ve said it before, but you can find such great practical stuff at thrift stores. Things you’ll actually use more than you think, like workout gear. Sometimes if you’re lucky, you even find items that work double-duty, like a Santa-print running shirt for a holiday run! 🙂

Flossin’ and stunning in my thrift store threads.

This shirt is especially great because it’s made of a light wicking material. The run was in November, but it was hot. I passed a mom and her son and the mom was insisting the boy “Drink this water now, I don’t need you to have heatstroke!” I don’t know that it was quite that hot, but it was unseasonably warm. I could have comfortably run in shirts and a t-shirt, to be honest. During the run I was sweating plenty but this shirt kept me relatively cool and didn’t stick to me, thanks to the wicking material. Another thrift store win for maybe $4.

In other news, this was my first attempt at Photoshop! Yay! I didn’t do anything to me; I just blocked out the license plate, cropped it, and added some text. I’m trying to get more familiar with Photoshop and Illustrator, so be on the lookout for new and exciting experiments coming here soon. Haha.

Anyhow, this picture got me thinking. Let me backtrack. This past weekend I was digging through old photos and it was very strange and even sad because I looked at some photos and thought, “Wow, I thought I was ugly/heavy/not good enough” and a whole mess of other negative things, which frankly weren’t true. I was young, physically healthy, and had no basis for feeling those things. It upset me that I felt so bad about myself and directed all those negative thoughts inward. So when I saw the picture above, a part of me started to have that knee-jerk reaction of “I should be/look/have…”. Then I decided screw that. I don’t want to see “Oh, my thighs are too big” or “OMG wrinkles.” I want to look and see the positives. I don’t want to beat myself for not being Photoshop perfect because really, no one is. And even if they were, too bad, so sad.

In this picture, I just finished a 5K and I felt great. I see a body that just carried me through a 3.1-mile run. This picture reminds me that I have mind that keeps me focused when I think “I’m too old for this” and want to quit. I also see a pretty stellar thrift-store shirt and a cup of coffee, which explains the silly grin on my face.

I also see what a gorgeous day it was! I don’t often get down to the lakefront, but gosh, it really is pretty.

Anyhow. That’s what I want to see when I see myself in pictures* – and I hope you see the good when you look at pictures of yourself, too. 🙂

*At least the good ones, haha. My brother played paparazzi during the race and he got an extreme close-up of me mid-race that I’m keeping under wraps! But at least I can laugh at it.

Since next Thursday is Thanksgiving, I wanted to share an item that might end up on your (or a neighbor’s) table: the Pyrex Hurri-Candle!

I found these at a teeny-tiny thrift store by my house. I had no idea these existed, did you? I assumed Pyrex simply made bowls, plates, and other serving and storage ware. A quick search online shows a bunch of “vintage” Pyrex Hurri-Candles, so I checked out Pyrex’s website. No Hurri-Candles were to be found, so I think it’s safe to assume they are no more. Here’s something interesting, though: Pyrex makes laboratory glassware! This does make sense, but it still tickles me to think “Huh. I’m sitting here baking bread in a Pyrex dish and some person is in a lab whipping something up in a Pyrex container, too!”

Yes! One of my favorite times of the year. It’s also a new month and I don’t know about you, but I am so glad to have a fresh start. It’s also the start of Q4! Talk about time flying…

How is that segue to a piece of “vintage” Halloween?

Helllooo, trick-or-treaters!

I wonder when this was made. I’m guessing in the ’70s or ’80s? I remember having some like that as a kid. In a way, I wish I had bought it but I do have plenty of Halloween decorations. A part of me thinks I could always have more, but until I have a larger space, I think I’m pretty well set. (Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t add to the collection… 🙂 ). This lovely piece didn’t make it home with me, but I sure am glad I got a picture of it for posterity. Isn’t it cool how just a picture can make you smile and bring back memories of long ago? Good times.